Ranked No. 2 in the state at the Class 6A level this year, the Spartans are back with seven top seeds and are the favorite to win a district title.

But with only the top four district placers advancing to state, even the top-flight Spartans have their work cut out for them.

“On paper, we’re only going to qualify 10 for state,” Reese said. “That’s not a number that we’d be happy with. We want to qualify as many to state as we can. We’ve got to get guys to the state tournament, where everything counts.”

Given that No. 1-ranked Roseburg advanced 22 to the state tournament, and that Hillsboro is scratching and clawing to catch the 6A’s top team, Reese would love to match that number – however unlikely it appears to be.

“That’s a tough number to get to, and we have to match that to be able to match them,” Reese said. “Probably not going to be 22. Our region is tough. The record for Hillsboro is 14, so we’d like to hit the 15-16 number.”

Accomplish that, and Hillsboro would breeze to a district title.

Of course, the Spartans know they have a lot of work to do. That effort begins Friday at Forest Grove High School.

Official brackets for the Special District 1 tournament can be found at trackwrestling.com.

“That’s what we’re looking for,” Reese said. “It’s a tough weight class, but we’re fully expecting both of them to make it to state.”

Sandwiched between the two Spartans is Ian Stettler, who lost to Rodriguez-Saenz by second-round fall earlier this season. Stettler did, however, earn a fall against Bell in dual meet action on Feb. 11.

A wild card could be Forest Grove’s Christian Guerra, the 4-seed who has significant experience at the 113-pound level and finished third at 106 last season.

Century junior Brennan Baccay wrestles against Hillsboro senior Joey Rodriguez during the 126-pound final at Reser's Tournament of Champions. (Andrew Nemec | The Oregonian)

What to expect: There may be no more anticipated matchup in the district than a possible final pitting Baccay against Rodriguez. The two squared off in a Reser’s Tournament of Champions final earlier this year, which Baccay won, and in the dual – a 9-8 victory for Baccay.

Both are expected to be state placers with potential to make the state final.

“I think it’ll be different this time, but that’s what I expect out of all my wrestlers,” Reese said. “No matter what, it’s going to be a fun, close match – probably one of the most exciting matches that we’ll see. Hopefully, they don’t look past anybody else.”

What to expect: The 138-pound class didn’t appear terribly ripe with talent until the brackets were announced, which indicated that several quality wrestlers had moved into the grouping.

“It’s become a tough weight class, because some people moved down from 145, and one guy who even moved up after wrestling at 132,” Reese said. “That was surprising for what we had seen most of the year.”

What to expect: Cavender has struggled as of late, losing three of four matches at one point late in the season, but appears to have righted the ship just in time.

“We’re hoping he can put together a way to roll through it, but you’ll see a couple No. 1 and No. 2 seeds lose in the tournament and have to come back through the hard way,” Reese said. “On paper, we’re wanting T.J. to roll through the tournament.”

Cavender has beaten the majority of 6A’s top 182-pound wrestlers and is a threat to win state – if he can put it all back together again.

The Spartans are hoping for an all-Hillsboro final, but standing in their way is Kovachevich, who has had none of the late-season struggles that have plagued Cavender.

What to expect: One mental mistake away from a Reser’s Tournament of Champions final, perhaps no Hillsboro wrestler has a better shot at a state title than Kociemba.

“He’s probably the most solid wrestler we have,” Reese said.

Extremely aggressive and yet technically sound, the junior is a force with which to be reckoned.

“I guess you could see meets as practice, as getting prepped for state. Winning duals is important, but on that (all-time Hillsboro state placers) board, on that wall, getting your name in red is the No. 1 focus right now,” Kociemba said after the Spartans’ dual meet victory over Glencoe on Feb. 11.

If Kociemba should stumble, Scott and Rodelo are both capable of pulling off the minor upset.